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Fly casters, fly tier and fly fishing clubs will convene at the New Braunfels Civic Center on April 9 and 10 for the fourth annual FFF Gulf Coast Council’s Expo.

The Gulf Coast Council is a Federation of Fly Fishers regional group composed of fly fishing clubs from Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. Their annual gatherings are called conclaves or expos, which are open to the public.

Brooks Bouldin, one of the expo directors, says there are programs, seminars, and events for all skill levels.

In the fly casting area, renowned fly angler Chico Fernandez will give casting demonstrations and also conduct a slideshow of his travels and fishing adventures. He will be one of 26 guest speakers at the expo covering topics such as how to catch redfish and how to kayak with a fly rod.

Or both.

That’s the topic of Captain Sally Moffett from Rockport, one of the program presenters April 9.

Using a kayak, Moffett said, “is the easiest and most economical way to fish the numerous flats between Rockport, Port Aransas and Corpus Christi.” She has also just authored a book on kayak fishing, “Saltwater Kayak Fishing — The Texas Way (Salt Grass Press, $18.95),” that can bring beginners up to speed.

Experienced fly anglers and conventional tackle anglers who want to try the long rod will have a variety of fly fishing-related vendors with the latest gear available and fly rods to test. This is a good opportunity “to try before you buy.”

More than 40 of the top fly tiers from several states will be on hand tying anything from rainbow trout flies to saltwater flies to bass bugs, said Frank Schlicht, one of the Expo fly tying coordinators. Expo visitors are welcomed to sit in front of any of the tiers and watch them go through the various steps in constructing a fly.

One fly tier to watch is Steve Flanagan of Schertz. To find him, just look for the crowd.

“I started attending conclaves and festivals 17 years ago,” Flanagan said. He began learning by watching people like Dave Whitlock of Arkansas and Joe Robinson of Austin tie their creative designs. By sharing his expertise over the years, Flanagan has developed a following of his own.

“I enjoy nothing better than creating something that you can use to catch a fish and show other people how to tie these fly patterns,” Flanagan said.

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Lefty Ray Chapa is a San Antonio, TX based, freelance photographer & writer specializing in outdoor subjects like fly fishing, kayak fishing, & duck hunting. When not guiding on the Texas Hill Country rivers he is teaching fly casting or kayak fishing at the nearby saltwater coast.

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